Speaking for less than 15 minutes, President Rodrigo Duterte said during his inaugural speech at the Rizal Hall in Malacañang Palace, the real problem that confronts the nation is “erosion of faith and trust in government.” To deal with these chellenges that dampen the human spirit, he asked Congress and the Commission on Human Rights to allow for a “level of governance that is consistent to our mandate. The fight will be relentless and it will be sustained.” He acknowledged fears about his “unorthodox methods” but said that as a lawyer and former prosecutor, he knows the “limits of the power and authority of the president. I know what is legal and what is not. My adherence to due process and the rule of law is uncompromising.”

Read more about what Duterte said in his inaugural speech on Rappler.

The full text of Duterte’s inaugural speech is also on Rappler.

Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the country’s first president from Mindanao, took his oath at exactly 12 noon Thursday, June 30. He is the Philippines’ 16th president. His youngest child Veronica held the old bible of Duterte’s mother Soledad during the oath taking administered by Supreme Court Associate Justice Bienvenido Reyes. He was joined by his other children, Sara Duterte Carpio, Paolo, and Sebastian. In his inaugural speech, Duterte called for change, saying it must “start with us and in us.”

Read more about the new president on Rappler.

Former president Benigno Aquino III reported that the Philippines has improved its human trafficking record as it moved up from Tier 2 to Tier 1 in the US 2016 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report of the US State Department. Tier 1 countries are those fully compliant with the minimum standards of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. The Philippines is the only Southeast Asian country under Tier 1. When Aquino assumed office in 2010, the Philippines was in the Tier 2 Watch List, already at risk of slipping to Tier 3. By 2011, the country improved and went up to Tier 2 and remained at that level until 2015. Meanwhile, the same report added 8 countries, including Uzbekistan and fledgling democracy Myanmar, to the blacklist of countries not doing enough to stop human trafficking.

Read more about the details of the TIP report on Rappler.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, June 30, said he would not “flaunt” a possible ruling against China by the arbitral tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands expected July 12. In his first Cabinet meeting, Duterte said the government will “study progressively” how it can use the upcoming ruling. He also said he does not want to “declare any fighting with anybody”. The Philippines, according to Duterte, finds itself in a “cliffhanger” situation. It can be a “soft landing for everybody” if the Philippines does not flaunt the arbitral ruling, Duterte said.

Read more about what was said about China on Rappler.

Vice President Leni Robredo took her oath as the 14^th vice president of the Philippines Thursdau morning, June 30, with her 3 daughters beside her. In a short and simple ceremony at the Quezon City Executive House, the once-reluctant candidate who started out with a 1% rating in vice presidential preferential polls, appealed for unity, saying this is “most important for the nation.” Her oath was administered by two village captains, one from her province of Camarines Sur where she was district representative, and another from Quezon City. Robredo won by a hairline over her closest rival, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who filed an electoral protest against her before the Supreme Court sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

Read more about Robredo’s inaugural speech on Rappler.

Police Director Benjamin Magalong, head of the Directorate for Investigation & Detection Management, will soon be Deputy Director for Operations, the 3^rd highest ranked post of the 160,000-strong police force. This was announced by new Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa Friday, July 1. Magalong, when he was head of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, led the independent investigation into the Mamasapano clash, one of the bloodiest anti-terror operations in the history of the police force.

Read more about Magalong on Rappler.

13 suspected Islamic State members were detained Thursday, June 30, over the deadly attack at Ataturk airport. The death toll from June 28’s gun and suicide bomb spree has risen to 43, with 19 foreigners among them and more than 200 injured. The suicide bombers were said to be a Russian, an Uzbek, and a Kyrgyz. Police carried out more than a dozen raids across Istanbul, arresting 13, including 4 foreigners. Initial signs point to ISIS, according to Interior Minister Efkan Ala, even as a “serious and comprehensive investigation” into the attacks continues.

Read more about the Turkey investigations on Rappler.

Flag-carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) reported a 560% jump in its comprehensive income for 2015, signaling a remarkable recovery after hitting a huge loss in fiscal year 2013. Comprehensive income refers to net profit and other sources of income, PAL explained. In a statement, the airline attributed the boost in income to low fuel prices and an increase in destinations and aircraft numbers. These raised comprehensive income to $134.42 million for 2015.

Read more about PAL’s growth on Rappler.

A new study confirmed the link between canned foods and exposure to a hormone-disrupting industrial chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. The chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA), is linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other health effects. It is also cause for worry among parents because some animal studies report effects on “fetuses and newborns exposed to BPA”.  Canned soup has been identified as the “worst offender” in terms of high levels of BPA.

Read more about which canned foods have high levels of BPA on Rappler.

The National Museum announced on June 30 that admission is now “permanently free of charge for all visitors, Filipino or foreign, to its museums nationwide.” In a Facebook post, the museum said it board of trustees is implementing the new policy starting July 1 to “build upon significant spikes in viewership, especially among younger Filipinos.” There have been more visitors to the museum from 2013-2015 and in 2016, it said. The National Museum has 14 branches and flagship museums, which includes the National Art Gallery, Museum of the Filipino People, and National Planetarium.

Read more about the free admission on Rappler.

National Museum admission ‘permanently’ free

The National Museum announced on June 30 that admission is now “permanently free of charge for all visitors, Filipino or foreign, to its museums nationwide.” In a Facebook post, the museum said it board of trustees is implementing the new policy starting July 1 to “build upon significant spikes in viewership, especially among younger Filipinos.” There have been more visitors to the museum from 2013-2015 and in 2016, it said. The National Museum has 14 branches and flagship museums, which includes the National Art Gallery, Museum of the Filipino People, and National Planetarium.

Read more about the free admission on Rappler.